The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

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“No matter the continuing violent rhetoric, the criminal convictions, indictments, infidelities, racist comments, anti-abortion waffling, disdain and disregard of the constitution and affinity for dictators, Donald Trump’s base remains loving and loyal.

That base is not sufficient to win him re-election unless he expands his attractiveness to independent voters and disaffected Democrats.

Clearly the selection of J.D. Vance, a newly fawning team member, and MAGA diehard, as his vice running mate, indicates that Trump has no intention of dialing down on disunity and changing course.

Vance has demonstrated by his words and actions, especially as it pertains to Trump, that he is an unrepentant hypocrite and opportunist. Having once been a severe Trump critic, and now morphed toady, he promises to extend his loyalty to de-certifying the 2024 election if Biden gains the electoral majority.

The Democrats would now be wise to concentrate their attention on the realistic possibility that if Trump regains the White House at some point his age, and unhealthy lifestyle, may elevate Vance to the presidency. The American electorate may therefore be more receptive to attacks upon Vance.

Highlighting his expressed devotion to turning the country on a backward trajectory, which will negatively  impact the majority of Americans, may re-activate the unhappy Democrats, allied with awakened independents, to reject the Republican ticket.

The strategy of vicariously attacking Trump by a barrage of negative ads, and media attention concentrated on Vance, may save this country from becoming an autocracy that benefits one class of Americans at the expense of the majority.”-Betty Ussach, Dartmouth.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

This opinion is a response to the City of New Bedford requiring lodging house licenses and upgrades to the sober houses throughout the city.

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“Anyone who has dealt with or been up close to someone with cognitive decline, mental illness or dementia knows there are varying moods and connections to reality.

Biden apparently has episodes of confusion compounded by speech difficulties, but the effects have been minimal and his administration mostly positive during his tenure. And one could justifiably argue that he has wise and practical counsel who assist him, or limit any missteps, and that he is receptive to changing circumstances and directions.

On the other hand Trump’s behavior of whining, threatening, accusatory and constant bragging are indicative of a far more advanced stage of mental instability. Also, Trump’s entire theme is the United States is irreparably diminished and that he is the savior that can stem the flow of migrants, return the country to greatness, bend the will of our foreign adversaries and he therefore provides a constant flow of delusional accusations and promises.

Unmitigated anger, resentment and spite, frequently clothed in humor, are the mainstay of his bombastic speeches at rallies. His only consistency is denying reality and unabashedly fabricating lies.

Fear of losing the election has a stranglehold on supporters of both nominees and at this juncture changing candidates appears unlikely.

Thus the question becomes what is best for this country: voting into the White House a cognitively impaired, but positive, patriotic and receptive to practical advice candidate, or a delusional, greedy candidate receptive to malign and autocratic influences?”-Betty Ussach, Dartmouth.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

This opinion is a response to the City of New Bedford requiring lodging house licenses and upgrades to the sober houses throughout the city.

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SCOTUS Ruling and Debtor’s Prison

“Never in the history of crime and punishment has any place in the world ever incarcerated its way out of a crime problem. Jails and prisons deal with the aftereffect of crime, not the causes of crime. Needlessly incarcerating people is costly to taxpayers and can have a criminogenic effect on people incarcerated. The key word is ‘needlessly.’

Neither punishment nor incarceration are solutions to homelessness; they are intensifiers.

Why am I writing about this? I want to shoot down a bad idea before it gains traction.

The recent Supreme Court ruling in Grants Pass v. Johnson makes it easier for communities everywhere in the US, including in Bristol County, to fine, ticket, or arrest people experiencing homelessness, even when there is no adequate shelter available. Punishment as a solution throws gas on a fire we want to put out.

Let’s say a municipality passes an ordinance to fine, ticket, or arrest someone residing in a public space.

Now, what happens if someone residing in a public space without an alternative does not pay a fine or ticket?

A judge may sentence you to serve time for failure to pay. This is a debtor’s prison. This isn’t good for anyone.

Now taxpayers are paying tens of thousands of dollars to house, feed, and provide medical care to someone who didn’t have a place to call home and didn’t squat on someone’s private property. Moreover, once a homeless person adds a criminal conviction to his or her record, getting a job and getting back on his or her feet is exponentially more difficult.

We should build shelters with wrap-around services to get people back on their feet, not punish them.

When a community proposes the NIMBY ordinances of “no vagrants in our community”, remember that a solution to homelessness that leads to punishment and incarceration is the worst way to go.”-Paul Heroux, Sheriff of Bristol County.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

This opinion is a response to the City of New Bedford requiring lodging house licenses and upgrades to the sober houses throughout the city.

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“New Bedford has been essentially a working class city for most of history. Save for whaling captains and factory owners the majority of residents have been hard working residents eking out a basic standard of living. That there are elected officials and monied interests that have aspirations to create an upperclass destination with high end residential properties is having a devastating impact on the working class that can’t afford the rents or an income to purchase a private home.

Not all the homeless souls wandering about or panhandling on roadways are in the situation by choice. Drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, war induced trauma, and workers who are paid insufficiently to find permanent residence, constitute the majority of the homeless.

Homelessness is the major obstacle to combating addiction, mental illness and worker unreliability. Without permanent residence it is almost impossible to access the programs, medical services, and feeding venues that do exist in the community. And these services provide only immediate and emergency stopgap solutions.

For sustained stability having a permanent residence is essential.

From a purely practical perspective the investment in low or no- income housing would ultimately reduce the tax burden that subsidizes the emergency services that are mounting and are ultimately ineffective.

Gentrifying New Bedford may increase the tax base but it will also increase the high cost of medical and judicial interventions for those dispossessed and homeless. From a humane and financial perspective the Mayor and City Councilors must first concentrate on this issue before creating a Newport on the Acushnet River.”-Betty Ussach, Dartmouth.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

This opinion is a response to the City of New Bedford requiring lodging house licenses and upgrades to the sober houses throughout the city.

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“I can tell you one thing: putting all these rules and regulations on sober homes is forcing recovering addicts back on the streets.

Where are we going to go!?! I can be a testimony on how my sober home ‘Dawns New Day,’ saved my life, held me accountable, and helped me find my faith and my way. Many other women at the homes can vouch for this. Thanks to the sober house I’m now a fully functioning member of society. Working full time, going to church, and saving up to be able to move into my own apartment. I have learned how to be of service to the community.

You may be attacking the sober homes but the ones who will suffer the most are going to be the people like me who are just trying to find my way back. You think you have a problem now, wait till we are forced back into the streets. All the public asked for is that addicts get help! How can we if we dont have safe places to go after detox? You can go to detox but detox doesn’t help you get acclimated to the real world. You need time to be able to find a network and learn how to live clean.

And if you get help and you then leave detox to go back to the street that never ends well. I live in the grad house at ‘Dawn’s.’ It’s very spacious, we are a family. These are my sisters! We cook together, eat together, clean together, and support each other.

To some women this is the only family they have. I have fought hard to be here and earned my way. This is a home not a facility!

The mayor is doing more HARM than good. YOU DONT WANT ENCAMPENTS but are forcing sober homes to close! So what that is saying is you want more addicts and less recovery in our city. That’s the message. The train is coming and its about to get worse, way worse… let’s take the sprinklers out of the mayor’s salary, since he ‘cares’ so much about us burning alive.”-Jeanna DiSanti.

“These outside Dunkin trash cans are not your personal dumpsters!

I understand putting your previous built-up Dunkin cups that have old Dunkin food bags in them. But, we don’t appreciate the people putting large bags of trash or miscellaneous items like pizza boxes in the cans that come from your houses and cars.

For the pizza boxes, we have a recycling dumpster right outside. As a Dunkin worker in New Bedford, it’s not in the job description to hand pick nasty trash that is *overflowing* the trash cans. We then have to separate garbage and recycling for you and then put them in multiple trash bags.

Even after someone has just changed the trash they get filled up immediately. It’s disgusting and we do the amount of work we *get paid to do*. Respectfully, please don’t overfill the regular-sized outside trash with LARGE bags of garbage or huge items. There are plenty of acceptable things to throw in the trash.

ALSO if you’re about to throw trash in a bin that’s overflowing please just check if the other trashes that are usually emptier aren’t filled and you can throw your trash in those. I often see one or two trash(s) overfilling even with trash piles on the ground next to the can.

Please have consideration because most of the time the other 2 aren’t as full and people only pick one to use for some reason. We change the trashes every day, every shift. Please be considerate and don’t add to trashes coming from the lids.

Thank you!”

“Can anyone out there help us? ♿ New Bedford Housing Authority won’t put up a ramp for those of us who have a disability and struggle with walking and have difficulty with stairs.

We are seeking help to get a ramp put in so we can have easier access to the upper street sidewalk from the lower sidewalk which leads to our homes, which requires using stairways. You can Google Parkdale Projects on the Rockdale Avenue side to see the steep stairs we are forced to maneuver. There is no other access to the lower sidewalk and our homes except these steep stairs.

There is plenty of room for a ramp. The New Bedford city council gave their approval for a ramp but Joe Beauregard, head of housing told Joseph Lopes, ward counselor, that it’s “not feasible”. How can it not be feasible to give those with disabilities a ramp versus dangerous stairs?

WE NEED YOUR HELP🙏 WE NEED A RAMP WHERE WE LIVE.😢

I’m searching for advocates as I am not sure where to turn for help at this point. I have reached out to MOD and other sites hoping to find someone who can help. I’m waiting for a response from anyone who’s willing to try to help us. I have also reached out to channels 10, 6 and 12 in hopes of finding an advocate in this matter of helping those with disabilities.”–Lillian Connor.

This is a photo taken from my porch. Lillian Connor photo.

This is the backdoor stairs which is not the issue. We just avoid them and don’t have an issue with them. Lillian Connor photo.

This is the hill that leads to Summit Street, in back of our unit. Lillian Connor photo.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

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The following is a response to Betty Ussach’s Opinion piece, entitles, “It’s distressing that people support Netanyahu, Trump’s narcissistic, destructive agendas”.

“The constant blaming of everything wrong is Trump’s fault, known as Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS), is living in a certain author’s gray matter permanently now. Hamas attacking Israel and Israel’s response is somehow interconnected to Trump. Can’t make this up! Trump had every right to exercise all legal options to the bogus charges, many under novel legal theories. We still have due process!

Facebook photo.

But you wouldn’t know that if you only watch TDS news stations which most are. Bibi had every right to defend his country and ensure the enemy is completely defeated, never to be attacked again in an ambush of innocent civilians. Rapes, beheadings and torture are all acceptable to the author, just be compassionate in your response. Shameful! Hamas has taken billions of dollars and used it for war purposes, building tunnels under hospitals and buying weapons all with the intent on destroying Israel, with the support of the Palestinian people.

There isn’t much room for compassion when the enemy butchers your citizens in an unprovoked act of war. The founding principles of any nation are to ensure the safety and sovereignty of its citizens and country. Principles obviously devoid as expressed in the opinion piece. Again, somehow Trump is lumped in with the war as losing international respect for each nation.

What Trump supposedly has to do with the Israel/Hamas conflict is further proof of TDS. Conversely, while Trump was President, the world was at peace, initiated the Abraham Accords and brought great economic improvement to all economies and demographics. Facts not acknowledge by those suffering TDS.

Facebook photo.

The most delusional statement of all is believing the American new media is the most accurate! Now that’s one hallucination! It has been proven over and over that most “main stream” news media, that the author watches, has been proven to lie, misstate, take out of context and distort the truth to continue the hatred of DT.

Russia Gate-False, Laptop-Real, FISA Abuse-True, Hillary falsely started Russia to deflect from her email scandal-True, the list goes on and on, but you wouldn’t know it if you watched Fake News. Hence the continued TDS living in many people’s gray matter.

Lastly, when did it become a “destructive agenda” to put America and Americans first and bring back jobs moved overseas due to cheap labor and little or no environmental regulations to ensure the well being of our citizen’s first? Patriotism is not a destructive agenda! Unfortunately the hatred made people vote personality over policy.

The Fake News did their job, Orange Man Bad! Look what we have now; world wars, inflation, open borders with known terrorists already here, rampant gang crime and soaring energy costs that nobody can afford. The tide is turning and when DJ becomes 47 I hope those suffering from TDS, get help and be prepared for more world peace and God blessing America again.”-Nelson Strebor.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

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“The stunning defiance and arrogance of Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump.

Each phase of Israel’s response to the Hamas attack of October 7th reveals the depth of arrogance, self-righteousness and selfishness of Benjamin Netanyahu. The comparison to Donald Trump is startling. Each man is facing criminal convictions and is delaying judicial accountability: Netanyahu by continuing the horrendous war upon Gaza and Trump by fomenting and threatening civil war and utilizing every trial delaying tactic.

Devoid of compassion or commitment to the founding principles of their nations each man is doubling down on hateful rhetoric and is appealing to the vindictive and nationalist tendencies of millions of supporters.

Each man has the ability and possibility of completely destroying any international respect or support previously accorded their nation. The principles of rule of law, equality and fairness have no significance to them but are obstacles to their dictatorial aspirations.

It is particularly distressing that in two of the most educationally advanced nations, with unlimited access to accurate news, that hundreds of thousands of citizens continue to believe obvious lies, and support each man despite overwhelming evidence of their unethical, narcissistic and destructive agendas.”-Betty Ussach, Dartmouth.

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

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“As Trump’s cases have multiplied, the motions to dismiss are denied and civil judgments are in the millions, Trump is churning up his MAGA militias for a reprisal of the Capitol insurrection that could put this country on a trajectory for a bloody rebellion or a civil war.

As each criminal case is delayed with an uncertain outcome that keeps Trump’s name in every news cycle it affords him the opportunity to whine and threaten his opponents and flagrantly disrespect the judicial system.

Shooting a person on Fifth Avenue pales in comparison to the criminal indictments awaiting trial in state and federal courts. Standing before hundreds of thousands of charged up supporters and dog whistling a call to arms with bloody results is so potentially dangerous to this country. And suffering no consequences for his diatribes further enables and energizes Trump.

Proclaiming that he is being treated like any other criminal or civil defendant is inaccurate as most people charged with crimes and torts lack the funds to pursue every conceivable motion, or appeal, in order to delay their cases indefinitely.

Manipulating the system and avoiding conviction has inured to Trump’s benefit by providing fuel for his rants, confirms his supporters’ faith in his innocence and power, and has contributed to the emasculation of the Republican Party structure by his seizing control and funneling donations for his defense.

Trump will become the victor by winning or losing the election as he has enabled the worst inclinations of millions of Americans who are willing to forfeit their rights and best interests to elevate their beloved leader.”-Betty Ussach, Dartmouth.